As Hurricane Ian churned across Florida late last week, Deborah Angerami, was packing up and moving from the state she had called home her entire adult life. It was nearly 4:00 AM Friday when she finally was able to settle into her new home in Albany and get some sleep. Even though she wasn’t officially scheduled to begin her job as Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital’s Chief Executive Officer until Monday, she showed up Friday, ready to get to work.
“I’m excited about the impact we can have in improving the health of this community, and I’m ready to get started,” Angerami said.
Born and raised in the Albany, NY area, Angerami moved to Florida after college and began her healthcare career. After earning a couple of graduate degrees from the University of Florida, she went to work for Health First, an integrated healthcare delivery network in central Florida that currently includes four hospitals, a large physician group and more than 9,000 employees. Over a 22-year career at Health First, Angerami worked her way up through a range of leadership roles, most recently serving as Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the system’s hospital division.
“Deb is an experienced executive and dynamic leader with a passion for patient safety and a track record of quality improvement. We are fortunate to have her as part of the Phoebe Family, and I look forward to the energy and enthusiasm she will bring to Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital,” said Scott Steiner, Phoebe Putney Health System President and CEO. “I know she will help Phoebe’s flagship hospital grow services and enhance patients’ experiences as we build on the 111-year history of Phoebe’s service to our community.”
That legacy is one of the main things that attracted Angerami to Phoebe. “I loved the history of how the hospital came to be in 1911. I was also impressed by the size, scope and complexity of the hospital and the system,” Angerami said. “I also really wanted to work with Scott Steiner and other Phoebe leaders. In our first interaction via a video interview, Scott was authentic, committed and easy to talk with, and our values around the importance of patient safety and patient experience aligned,” she added.
Angerami said she was impressed by Phoebe’s commitment to patient safety and continuous improvement, as well as its efforts to meet the healthcare needs of southwest Georgia through expansion projects, such as plans for a new NICU and emergency & trauma center and Phoebe’s partnership with Albany Technical College to build a Living and Learning Community to expand the college’s nursing program.
“The continued commitment of the board and leadership team to invest in top quality physicians, the most comprehensive and technologically advanced simulation lab I have ever seen, and the drive to ensure that the facilities continue to expand and improve to better serve our community made Phoebe the place I wanted to be,” she said.
A visit to Phoebe’s Willson Hospice House also helped convince Angerami that Phoebe is the right place for her. “My father, before his passing in May of 2022, had been in inpatient hospice. Seeing the beauty, peace and tranquility of the Phoebe Hospice House and the forethought of having a private outside area for each family, resonated with me,” she said.
Angerami said she is looking forward to becoming an active member of the community and a long-term member of the Phoebe Family. “I was with my last company for 22 years. I’m not a person who regularly relocates, and my intent is to stay in Albany for a very long time.”
Angerami replaces Joe Austin, who recently retired after a 40-year career in hospital administration, including 13 years at Phoebe.
Original source can be found here.
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